General Electric Company

Paul Thomas Marks

Tara Easter McGovern

Norman Arnold Turnquist

Christopher Edward Wolfe

Brian Peter Arness

Warren Arthur Nelson

Jason Paul Mortzheim

Raymond Edward Chupp

Ming Zhou

Bharat S Bagepalli

Osman Saim Dinc

Andrew Jay Skoog

William Randolph Stowell

Robert Harold Cromer

Jane Ann Murphy

Frederick George Baily

Anthony Holmes Furman

Raymond Grant Rowe

David Robert Skinner

Philip Lynn Andrew

Gregory Allan Crum

John David Stampfli

Joseph Anthony Cotroneo

Lawrence Edward Rentz

Harold Edward Miller

Alexander Morson

R Paul Chiu

Daniel Robert Dwyer

Lisa DeBellis

Ronald Richard Wesorick

James Hayward Clare

Roger Jordan Carr

Rudolf Matthias Markytan

A method of fabricating a component for a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes applying a bond coat to at least a portion of the component, applying a dense vertically cracked (DVC) thermal barrier coating to at least a portion of the bond coat using a spray mechanism positioned a first distance from the component, and overlying at least a portion of the DVC thermal barrier coating with a soft coat thermal barrier coating using a spray mechanism that is positioned a second distance away from the component, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance to facilitate adherence of the soft coating thermal barrier coating to the DVC thermal barrier coating.

Methods and apparatus for coating gas turbine engines

A pattern for improving aerodynamic performance of a turbine includes a material disposed in a pattern at a base surface of a turbine shroud such that the material is capable of abradable contact with a tip portion of a turbine bucket. The pattern includes a first plurality of ridges disposed at the base surface such that a first portion of the first plurality of ridges corresponding to a back portion of the turbine bucket is oriented at a first angle with respect to an axis of rotation of the turbine bucket. Each ridge of the first plurality of ridges has a first sidewall and a second sidewall having a first end and a second end. The first ends of the first and second sidewalls extend from the base surface. The first and second sidewalls slope toward each other with substantially equal but opposite slopes until meeting at the second ends of respective first and second sidewalls defining a centerline and a top portion of the ridge.

Pattern for the surface of a turbine shroud

An article of manufacture pattern for improving aerodynamic performance of a turbine including an abradable material capable of abradable contact. The abradable material is disposed in a pattern. The pattern includes a first plurality of ridges disposed at a base surface of the turbine. Each ridge of the first plurality of ridges has a first sidewall and a second sidewall having a first end and a second end. The first ends of the first and second sidewalls extend from the base surface. The first and second sidewalls slope toward each other with substantially equal but opposite slopes until meeting at the second ends of respective first and second sidewalls defining a centerline and a top portion of the ridge.

A gas turbine cooling and sealing air supply system design for an industrial gas turbine is provided which effectively eliminates the need to dissipate bleed pressure across an orifice or similar device, thereby to optimize full load ISO performance. This flow system is realized by providing cross over valves/ejectors which allow mixing of extractions of different pressures. Control valves provided in the various extraction and cross over flow paths selectively control and determine the flow of extraction bleed air from the various stages of the compressor and between the extraction flow paths. Once the air is combined, its combined pressure and temperature is somewhere between the lower and higher pressure extraction air original pressures and temperatures. Thus, the proper pressure can be supplied to, e.g., the turbine with the least expensive, in terms of work invested, mixture of air with the lowest temperature.

System for combining flow from compressor bleeds of an industrial gas turbine for gas turbine performance optimization

In turbomachinery, first and second flowpaths coupled to stages of the compressor flow cooling medium at different temperatures and pressures to components of the turbine. An ejector is provided in the first flowpath for suctioning flow from the second flowpath and combining the two flows for delivery to a component of the turbine at a temperature and pressure intermediate the temperature and pressure of the first and second flows. A flow sensor, flow controller and throttling valve are interposed in the motive flowpath, the exit flowpath or the suction flowpath relative to the ejector for controlling the flow through the ejector.

Apparatus and methods for controlling flow in turbomachinery

Leakage flows through seals are used to cool components of a turbine downstream of the seals. At certain seal locations, the leakage flows are restricted to the extent that cooling of downstream components cannot be effected by the leakage flows. The cooling air leakage flow is augmented by extracting bleed air from different stages at different temperatures from a compressor and combining the extracted flows in an ejector to provide a flow having a temperature intermediate the temperatures of the extracted flow streams for augmenting the leakage flow to cool the component. The ejector thus uses high extraction air to entrain lower temperature extraction air to lower the ejector exit air temperature, reducing the magnitude of air required to cool the downstream component and enhancing the effectiveness of the advanced seal.

Apparatus and methods for flowing a cooling or purge medium in a turbine downstream of a turbine seal

Child tracking system

A gas turbine operational strategy is provided for the optimization of ISO-Day rated performance. The invention is realized by setting the nominal operating line equal to or slightly below the operating limit line, so that ISO full load performance is maximized. Thus, the first stage turbine nozzle throat area is sized such that, without inlet bleed heat addition, and at Base-Load pressure ratio and firing temperature, the compressor operates within its operational limits on a ISO day. As ambient conditions change, levels of inlet bleed heat and firing temperature are controlled and the inlet guide vane angle is set whereby the nominal operating line is equal to or slightly below the operating limit line.

Method of operation of industrial gas turbine for optimal performance

Brush seals are employed on steam turbine rotors without the risk of causing thermal rotor bowing and without compromising the sealing performance. In one form, a groove in the rotor has an insert in frictional contact with the brush seal. The non-uniform distribution of heat due to frictional contact between the brush seal and proud portions of the rotor is dissipated within the insert such that adjoining rotor portions are substantially uniformly heated without causing thermal bow. In a further form, a groove or grooves are provided in the rotor surface adjacent to the brush seal and maintain non-uniform heat distribution locally in the rotor without causing thermal bow of the rotor. In another form, a land projects radially outwardly of the rotor surface in contact with the brush seal. The non-uniform distribution of heat due to frictional contact between proud portions of the land and the brush seal dissipates into a uniform distribution of heat in the rotor proper to avoid thermal bowing. In a final form, the brush seal has frictional contact with bucket dovetail or wheel protrusions spaced radially outwardly of the rotor such that non-uniform distribution dissipates into a uniform distribution within the rotor.

Method and apparatus for eliminating thermal bowing of steam turbine rotors

Brush seals are retrofitted into existing turbine labyrinth seal rings to create a fail-safe seal design at locations wherever labyrinth seals are currently used, including interstage shaft seals, rotor end seals, bucket (or blade) tip seals and spill strips. Brush seals, per se, when used in place of labyrinth seals, can result in considerable span reductions of steam turbines, or machines with more turbine stages for a given span. Application to end packings results in the potential elimination of gland sealing/exhauster systems. Brush seal life can be improved by retrofitting brush segments to labyrinth seal segments that are either spring-backed, or use pressure loads to obtain design clearances only after steady state operating conditions are achieved. The brush seals are provided with backing plates shaped like labyrinth teeth, resulting in a fail-safe design. Also, the use of existing labyrinth teeth as bristle backing plates results in a brush seal with diminished susceptibility to hysteresis when compared to conventional brush seal designs. Low friction coatings can also be used to reduce brush seal hysteresis. Incorporation of brush seals in labyrinth seal rings that are either spring-backed or held in place by pressure forces results in extremely low brush seal wear.

Brush seals and combined labyrinth and brush seals for rotary machines

Growing community of inventors

Simpsonville, SC, United States of America

Paul Thomas Marks